The Zoo CREW: Save the Orangatans

What could be better than a passionate group of teenage animal conservationists? A passionate group of teenage animal conservationists working out of our own backyard world of wonder, the Philadelphia Zoo. The young participants in its highly-coveted, three-year Zoo CREW program (for Zoo Champions for Restoring Endangered Wildlife) not only are privy to workshops and training sessions on nature awareness and conservation issues, but they take their special “Save Our Species” presentations to local libraries on weekends, sharing their devotion to all things animal with younger children, hopefully stoking their compassion and love for creatures small and large. This Saturday, the Zoo CREW is all about those great apes known as orangatans and, most importantly, they’re out to share strategies on what regular folk—and yes, even kids—can do to help ensure that these beautiful beasts will be around to fascinate future generations. First stop is the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Lillian Marrero Branch, then it’s off to the Widener facility. And inside word has it that a special Zoo “animal ambassaador” may join the team on their outings. / Kenya Beverly